A proposal aimed at limiting how Houston police interact with federal immigration authorities during traffic stops failed to advance after it did not receive enough support from City Council members, highlighting ongoing political and legal tensions around immigration enforcement in Texas.
The measure, introduced by at-large Council Member Letitia Plummer, would have restricted Houston Police Department officers from prolonging routine traffic stops to wait for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and would have given officers discretion over whether to contact ICE when encountering immigration detainers or warrants.
The proposal never made it onto the City Council agenda after Plummer secured only one co-sponsor, falling short of the three required to move the item forward. It also faced legal hurdles amid concerns that it could conflict with state law mandating cooperation between local law enforcement agencies and federal immigration officials.
Texas Senate Bill 4, passed in 2017, requires local police departments to honor immigration detainers and cooperate with federal authorities. City attorneys and several council members raised concerns that Plummer’s proposal could violate state law, exposing the city to legal challenges.
Plummer said the proposal was intended to address what she described as a dramatic increase in referrals from HPD to ICE in recent years and to prevent traffic stops from turning into immigration enforcement actions. She said she was disappointed by the lack of support but hoped the effort would spark broader discussion about public trust and community policing.
Opponents of the proposal argued that Houston has limited authority to alter immigration enforcement practices under state law and warned that the city could face penalties for noncompliance. Some council members also expressed concern about putting police officers in a legally uncertain position.
The proposal’s failure comes as immigration enforcement remains a politically sensitive issue in Houston, one of the nation’s most diverse cities. Advocates have continued to press city leaders to reduce cooperation with federal immigration authorities, while state officials have emphasized strict enforcement of existing laws.
With Plummer leaving office, the measure is not expected to be revisited in its current form, though immigration policy is likely to remain a point of debate in future City Council discussions.